Sometimes, in my nomadic lifestyle, I do yearn to go “home”. I imagine there’s a place where all my familiar, totally at ease with just how I like it things are. Home is where I have total freedom to express my preferences and where I can sink in to a relaxation of rest and groundedness. Home would be a starting point for a next adventure and a landing place for the last one. It would contain the motherlode of creative supplies, gear, workshop space, books, journals, all stored beautifully and easily accessible.
Home.
Ticks
I saw this post from one of my friends and wanted to pass it along to my readers. She’s having a tick of a time and shared this in hopes of enlightening the rest of us! Thanks Julie!
From Julie Burroughs, Trail Dames
May 28, 2015
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Hi everyone! Just a word of caution to always check for ticks and do what you can to prevent them from getting on you in the first place. I want to share what is happening with me, in hopes that it may help in some way. On Monday Morning, I found and removed a tick. By that evening, I had developed a large rash at the bite site. By early morning Tuesday the rash had worsened, I had a severe headache, and was nauseated and had chills. Since I am already immuno compromised, I didn’t take any chances and headed in to see my Dr., who preliminarily diagnosed me with a tick born illness other than Lyme. Possibly Ehrlichiosis Or STARI. He did blood work and put me on doxycycline which is the treatment for Lyme as well. According to my GP, Lyme is virtually non existent in Georgia although a quick internet search, offer lots of differing opinions. I had no idea that ticks could cause at least 14 other diseases besides Lyme and pose such serious health risks. Please read up on what you can do to prevent tick bites in the first place. If you do get bitten, and If you develop a rash or fever within days or several weeks of removing a tick, see your doctor. Be sure to tell the doctor about your recent tick bite, when the bite occurred, and where you most likely acquired the tick.
Winter Walk In Pennsylvania
Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail
January 2 – 22, 2014
What a lovely walk John and I had for 6 days in the snowy mountains of Pennsylvania! Enjoy this 5-minute slide show featuring Barbara Hotz singing “Wild Wind” and a few words of explanation from me! Highlights of this walk included:
Journey’s End A New Beginning
When I was completing my Appalachian Trail Walk in 2007, my husband and son came and walked the last mile with me. What an honor! Having them with me to round out the journey validated my accomplishment and helped magnify their contribution to the entire walk. My husband had sent maildrops all along the way. His presence at the end signified that my journey had ended and that I would be going back to my former life. My 7-month walk had been an exploration into another world where my joy as a hiker was reflected in my relationship with a new partner. I believed that my hiking world was separate from my homemaking world.
Surrounding ourselves with Roses!
I’ve been indulging in fields of roses this week in the third week of Journey to YOUR HeartLand: STORIES. Mine are always Pink, a deep “rose” pink. The best part is that they are absolutely free! And I can have as many as I want, fragrance and all!
These are Energy Roses that I create in my imagination to catch any low vibrations or “negative” energy coming from others, from dangerous situations, or even from myself! When I surround myself with Roses, there’s more Light and Love shining.
Courage
“ It is so very easy to continue on in the path we’ve chosen. It’s much easier. To change and do something out of the norm requires trust, faith, bravery. To defy what society tells us, especially as women, requires an even stronger will. Of all people, I should not be planning a long distance hike. I live on a very small fixed income. I have numerous physical/medical challenges, and my body is not in good shape. HOWEVER, I refuse to make any more excuses or reasons to not follow my dream. I refuse to wake up one day and wish I did something different. There are many things we cannot change, but our thinking is totally up to us. Everything else follows.”
-Diane Gilmore Saunders
“Everyday Miracles” wins!
I won a contest!!
Colin Tipping, author of Radical Forgiveness, Making Room for the Miracle, posted on my Facebook timeline that he had chosen my suggestion for the subtitle of his new book, 25 Practical Uses for Radical Forgiveness.
“Everyday Miracles”, I had submitted. Why? Because using the simple tools of Radical Forgiveness gets results! When I use them, things shift so wonderfully in my life that it seems like miracles!
And the more I use Radical Forgiveness in the small, everyday upsets- fear in my business, disagreement with my partner, separation from others, feelings of unworthiness in my family, judgment of government and social leaders – the easier it gets to experience peace, creativity, and connection.
The Real Work
The Real Work — Wendell Berry
It may be that when we no longer know what to do
we have come to our real work,
and that when we no longer know which way to go
we have come to our real journey.
The mind that is not baffled is not employed.
The impeded stream is the one that sings.
~ Wendell Berry ~
(Collected Poems)
My friend, Barbara Hotz, another master of words and rhythms in my life, sent me this poem on the day my hiking partner of 5 years announced that he was going solo for a time. It wasn’t so much that I was surprised with the news, just the timing. Are we ever ready for those changes we intuit or have even secretly wished for? Even though our relationship had been strained with lack of common, heartfelt purpose for the past month, we had kept willing ourselves to be together. He was the brave one to take the bold step of leaving.
Shirley Valentine
I had the delight to see my future daughter-in-law, Teralyn Tanner, perform beautifully as “Shirley Valentine”, in this one-woman play by Willy Russell. The play was surprisingly similar to my own Life!
Trapped in her middle class housewife life, Shirley breaks free, realizing that “There’s so much Unused Life!” She laments that people get bogged down, and live as dead after middle age, “All weighted down by the burden of their Unused Life!” What a poignant metaphor. It’s not that we’re just empty and lifeless if we don’t manifest our dreams, saddened and unmotivated by the fear of going after what we really want, relinquishing our dreams for the safety and comfort of resignation. No, Shirley observes, we are actually weighted down by the Unused Life. I just love that metaphor – Unused Life!
Pete Seeger Heartsinging
http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/WDTh5mb4
My sister sent me the announcement of Pete Seeger’s passing. You know, he’s one of those pure souls who will live forever because he was willing to get out there and share. I don’t know if Pete Seeger was scared to get out there, but he sure made a bright spot in the world with his songs. He made some pretty bold political statements too, got in trouble for it, and kept singing.
He kept singing until he couldn’t sing anymore. And then, he spoke the words and invited his audience to sing them. His songs are so easy to sing that just about anyone can sing them, and this he gave us all a voice!